Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 9

Devanagari script

सर्वगोपि हि विश्वेशो यत्र नित्यं प्रकाशते । मुक्तये सर्वजंतूनां कालोज्ज्ञित स्ववर्ष्मणाम्

Transliteration

sarvagopi hi viśveśo yatra nityaṃ prakāśate | muktaye sarvajaṃtūnāṃ kālojjñita svavarṣmaṇām

Translation

Denn dort erstrahlt der Herr Viśveśa, obgleich vor allen verborgen, in ewiger Helle und gewährt Befreiung allen Wesen, deren eigener Leib von der Zeit überwältigt wird.

Word by Word

• सर्वगा: all-pervading
• सर्वगा: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्वग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (to implied 'काशी/पुरी')

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अवधारणार्थक अव्यय (even/also)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic particle)

• विश्वेशः: Lord of the universe (Viśveśa)
• विश्वेशः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्वेश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (viśvasya īśaḥ)

• यत्र: where
• यत्र: Adhikarana (Location marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक अव्यय (where)

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण नपुंसक-एकवचनम् (adverbial accusative)

• प्रकाशते: shines forth; manifests
• प्रकाशते: Kriya (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + काश् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• मुक्तये: for liberation
• मुक्तये: Sampradana (Purpose/Recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Dative), एकवचन

• सर्वजन्तूनाम्: of all beings
• सर्वजन्तूनाम्: Sambandha (Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + जन्तु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), बहुवचन; कर्मधारय (sarve jantavaḥ)

• काल-उज्ज्ञित: abandoned by time; time-discarded
• काल-उज्ज्ञित: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक) + उज्झित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √उज्झ्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (to svavarṣmaṇām); तत्पुरुष (kālena ujjhitam / kāle ujjhitam)

• स्ववर्ष्मणाम्: of their own bodies
• स्ववर्ष्मणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक) + वर्ष्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष (svaṃ varṣma)

Speaker

Śiva-gaṇas (attendants of Śiva)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Avimukta (Kāśī) / Viśveśa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Within Kāśī’s sanctum, Viśveśa is not overtly visible to all—yet a subtle, eternal radiance emanates from the liṅga, while shadowy figures symbolize beings oppressed by Time; the light offers release.

Characters & Entities

• Viśveśa (Śiva)
• Kāla (Time)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Though the Lord may be subtle and ‘hidden’ to ordinary perception, in Kāśī He is eternally present for the liberation of time-bound beings.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī’s Viśveśvara/Avimukta sphere—portrayed as a permanent locus of Śiva’s salvific presence.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None directly; the verse emphasizes darśana and the saving presence of Viśveśa rather than a specific rite.